This invention relates to firearms and, more particularly, to a security apparatus of a firearm which authorizes production and delivery of a firing signal to a non-impact ammunition cartridge.
Revolvers have been produced for over a century and, although many components in their firing mechanism have remained relatively unchanged in function and design, continuous efforts have led to improvements in safety, manufacturing, and operation of revolvers. In recent decades, the evolution of improved electronics technology and capabilities has prompted efforts to incorporate electronics into firearms to further improve the cost, manufacturability, and performance of the firearms. For example, a mechanical trigger is displaced by an electronic solenoid in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,085, entitled xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC FIRING SYSTEM FOR TARGET PISTOLxe2x80x9d. U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,153, entitled xe2x80x9cFIREARM BATTERY AND CONTROL MODULExe2x80x9d, incorporates a processor into its ignition system to fire conventional percussion primers.
Electronics have also been incorporated into ignition systems for firearms that use non-conventional primers and cartridges. An xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM FOR FIREARMSxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,174, describes an electronic control system for firing electronically-primed ammunition. The electronic control of the ""174 Patent, however, is hard-wired and lacks the multiple sensor interfaces of the programmable central processing unit that is found with the present invention. A xe2x80x9cGUN WITH ELECTRICALLY-FIRED CARTRIDGExe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,972, describes an electrically-fired gun in which a heat-sensitive primer is ignited by voltage induced across a fuse wire extending through the primer. A xe2x80x9cCOMBINED CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE AND POWER SUPPLY FOR A FIREARMxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,828, shows a laser ignited primer in which an optically transparent plug or window is centered in the case of the cartridge to permit laser ignition of the primer. Power requirements to energize the laser, as well as availability of fused and/or laser-ignited primers are problematic however. An xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC FIREARM AND PROCESS FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC FIREARMxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,056, shows a firearm for firing electrically activated ammunition having a cartridge sensor and a bolt position sensor. The technology of the ""056 Patent, however, is limited to a firearm with a bolt action. None of the prior art to date fully integrates an electronic control system into a revolver for consistently and effectively firing a non-impact ammunition primer. The present invention is directed to such a revolver.
One object of the present invention is to provide a security apparatus that requires compliance with a plurality of mechanical and/or electronic operational parameters before authorizing use of the revolver.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus that communicates with a firing apparatus to discharge an electronically-fired cartridge.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus that permits use of the revolver only by authorized operators.
According to the present invention, a security apparatus for use in authorizing the discharge of a firearm having a firing apparatus includes a sensor assembly for receiving a plurality of operational parameters of the firearm and determining if the operational parameters are consistent with an intent to discharge said firearm therefrom. The security apparatus authorizes the firing apparatus to produce and send a check signal to an ammunition cartridge only if the operational parameters are consistent with an intent to discharge the firearm. The firing apparatus further generates a firing signal and provides the firing signal to the cartridge only if the check signal indicates that the cartridge is properly loaded in the firearm.
One advantage of the present invention is realized by the plurality of operational parameters, which must be satisfied before the revolver can be fired, thereby preventing an unintentional firearm discharge.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the revolver cannot be fired by an unauthorized individual.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the light of the following detailed description of best mode embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.